What causes dandruff?

Answer 1

Dandruff (also called scurf and historically termed Pityriasis capitis) is due to the excessive shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As it is normal for skin cells to die and flake off, a small amount of flaking is normal and in fact quite common. Some people, however, either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, experience an unusually large amount of flaking, which can also be accompanied by redness and irritation. Most cases of dandruff can be easily treated with specialized shampoos. Simple dandruff does not cause hair loss.

Excessive flaking can also be a symptom of seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infection or excoriation associated with infestation of head lice.

As the epidermal layer continually replaces itself, cells are pushed outward where they eventually die and flake off. In most people, these flakes of skin are too small to be visible. However, certain conditions cause cell turnover to be unusually rapid, especially in the scalp. For people with dandruff, skin cells may mature and be shed in 2 - 7 days, as opposed to around a month in people without dandruff. The result is that dead skin cells are shed in large, oily clumps, which appear as white or grayish patches on the scalp and clothes.

Dandruff has been shown to be the result of three required factors:

1. Skin oil commonly referred to as sebum or sebaceous secretions;
2. The metabolic by-products of skin micro-organisms (most specifically Malassezia yeasts);
3. an individual susceptibility.

Answer 2

Dandruff is a mysterious ailment. Mysterious, in that there is no commonly agreed upon theory about what actually causes the condition. It is estimated that as much as 97% of the population of the United States will at some point in their lives have a form of dandruff, but there is still a lack of total agreement about this condition.

Answer 3

Dandruff is caused by flaking and dry bits of skin on the scalp that flake off the scalp.
This becomes white bits of dandruff.
Dandruff can also come from bits of hair product, gels and lotions that hardens and dries and also flakes out as dandruff.
There are shampoos that can help you remove dandruff and keep the hair and scalp healthy and clean.

Answer 4

check the links below for * Natural Homemade Beauty Tips to - Dandruff Cure
http://homebeautytips.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-control-dandruff-1-tspn.html#name1

Answer 5

no bath for a week or exposing in the sun to much causing creepy crawling itty witty mini insect in the head

Answer 6

Dry scalp, Dirty hair or too many hair products like hair spray moouse and gel.

Answer 7

a dry scalp. Perhaps, washing hair too much. It may also be ceiriosis

Answer 8

dry scalp....too much hair care products or simply u just didn't wash all the soap out of your hair.

Answer 9

A dry scalp makes it flake...

Answer 10

poor diet,lack of vitamins,chemical based shampoos,dry scalp